


White Winter

by arabmorgan



Series: A Little Happiness [3]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, M/M, Post-Iron Man 3, Post-Thor: The Dark World, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-31
Updated: 2016-08-31
Packaged: 2018-08-12 05:27:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7922233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arabmorgan/pseuds/arabmorgan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which it snows, and Tony shares an almost-quiet moment with Loki.</p>
            </blockquote>





	White Winter

**Author's Note:**

> This works perfectly well as a standalone, but it is intended to be a follow-up to [Dog Days](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7510294).
> 
> I kinda like this one; it's not really fluff, I don't think. Just kind of...sentimental?

Tony awoke to an empty bed.

It shouldn’t have been all that surprising, considering Loki had a propensity for wandering off-world as and when the fancy took him (which was often), but he definitely remembered falling asleep moulded against a particular Asgardian the night before.

Letting out a soft, half-asleep snuffle, he patted around Loki’s side of the bed for a few moments, as if he had somehow managed to lose the god among the sheets.

Nope, still no Loki.

Eyes opening to mere slits, he rolled over to see said god silhouetted against the large windows of the bedroom, still and otherworldly despite his casual lack of dress. Beyond, the city they overlooked felt almost muffled in a way, hushed and pale.

Stretching with a drawn-out, inelegant grunt, Tony shuffled his way over to Loki, wrapping his arms around the god’s waist and leaning his cheek against cool bare skin. One of Loki’s hands came to rest over Tony’s almost absently, although he made no move to speak.

“Looks like it snowed overnight, huh.” Tony had to tiptoe slightly in order to settle his chin on Loki’s shoulder, but it gave him a good enough view of the snow-blanketed city, a rather different landscape from the day before.

There was no chill to be felt in the Tower though; FRIDAY was quite a whiz at indoor temperature regulation.

At last, Loki tilted his head slightly, acknowledging Tony’s presence. With a shrug of his shoulders, he effectively dislodged Tony’s loose grip, instead snaking an arm around the billionaire’s waist and switching their positions in a manner that could only be constituted as _haughty_.

Tony rolled his eyes. Idiot have-to-be-in-charge gods. _His_ idiot god though, so he leaned back against Loki’s very attractive chest with minimal complaints.

“So,” he said after a moment of near-tranquil silence, “pretty view, huh?” He wasn’t exactly sure what was up with Loki’s sudden broody demeanour, but it didn’t seem to be crisis-level (yet), so his relaxed air was easy to sustain.

“It is,” Loki said quietly, his words more of a sigh than anything else. “Asgard rarely gets snow like this. It would not be very golden otherwise.”

Tony tilted his head back. Loki was so close that he could practically feel the god’s breath making strands of hair flutter.

“Yeah? Well, you’ve missed out on plenty then – snowball fights, skiing, building snowmen…” Not that Tony had much experience with such things himself either, but he was chock-full of irony as a person anyway. A little more wouldn’t hurt.

Loki’s grip tightened slightly around him, like the Asgardian had stiffened involuntarily.

“ _But_ ,” Tony continued swiftly, raising a finger to emphasise his point, “just wait, Clint will be _all_ over this. He’s gonna push for a team outing until we all agree to it just to stop him from pestering us. You’ll get your fun snow day.”

Loki chuckled, although it sounded a little too reluctant to be completely genuine. “Agent Barton does have some rather childlike qualities at times,” he commented primly. “Much like you do.”

Tony smiled as he eyed their reflection in the glass, pleased to see the way he fit so snugly in Loki’s embrace. “Ass,” he said with a grin. “But really, it’ll be fun. You like the cold, don’t you?”

The moment the last sentence left his lips, the very air seemed to thicken around them. He saw Loki’s eyes narrow, the sudden downward, bitter twist of his lips.

“The cold _kills_ , Tony,” the god said, with that infuriating patience that meant he believed Tony might be slightly sick in the head. “It is inhospitable and cruel, and no laughing matter. You mortals would hardly survive an hour without the necessary supplies and garments.”

It was obvious that Loki wanted no pity for his warped views – he never had, was practically _allergic_ to it, in fact – and so it was fortunate that Tony had none to offer him.

Instead, Tony only snorted, craning his neck around to look Loki disapprovingly in the eyes. “Newsflash, genius – _heat_ is just as cruel or whatever. Take it from someone’s who’s been in a damn desert. Been there, done that.”

Loki huffed, narrow-eyed for a moment, as if considering whether or not to take up the argument.

Whether affection won out, or a simple desire not to upset the peace, the set of his mouth soon turned conciliatory rather than aggressive. “It is as you say, although I have never had much cause to gaze upon the beauty of winter.”

Again, Loki lapsed into silence, seemingly fascinated by the little dots of people and vehicles trudging their way through the overwhelming blanket of white.

“It is soothing,” he finally conceded. “This cold – it does not feel destructive. It quietens, it calms.”

“There’s always two sides to everything. You can be deadly and gentle at the same time, you know.” Tony ran his thumb over the god’s knuckles, feeling the even bumps of bone beneath his touch as he rubbed back and forth. “Or deadly and incredibly sexy, like me.”

“You fool.” But Loki chuckled anyway, bending to brush a soft kiss to the corner of Tony’s mouth as his fingers rose to thread through the inventor’s hair.

“So you say.” Tony grinned, his expression wicked. “You’re the one kissing the fool though.”

Loki rolled his eyes. “Hush,” he said, but there was no sharpness in his tone.

Tony smirked, turning his gaze back to the view.

“I always preferred the cold,” Loki said after a moment, his voice distant, lost somewhere in his centuries of memories. “Thor disliked the way it interfered with his plans – hunting, sparring – but I would always have the most fun on cool days; it invigorated me. It never came to my attention – that I thrived in lower temperatures – but now I find I cannot avoid making such connections.”

“Well, I like winter. I like cold stuff. Did I ever tell you that? ‘Cause if not, I’m telling you now.” Tony wriggled in Loki’s hold, turning so that they were face to face. “That’s not to say that you’re not _hot_ though, because you definitely are.”

The god’s eyes were very soft, one corner of his mouth tilting up in an almost-smile. “Do you know, Tony Stark,” he murmured, “that you are the first being in the Nine Realms to appreciate the beauty of winter with me? Besides my…besides my mother – but her favourite season was always spring. She had the most beautiful garden.”

Tony smiled, just as gently. “I know. I’ve seen the flowers you keep in your room.”

Loki’s eyes slipped shut as he bent forward, burying his nose in Tony’s hair. “I wish you could have met her.”

“Me too, Bambi, me too.”

Their kiss was a soft one, one that dipped and caressed, and gave without taking anything in return.

When they parted, noses still bumping, Loki exhaled a chilly breath that skimmed against Tony’s skin, nipping at his pores. Long fingers cradled his face, thumbs stroking at his cheeks.

“You are the flame to my ice, Iron Man,” the god whispered, his voice infinitely tender, “and my first snow will always belong to you.”


End file.
